Timber setting machine



March 13, 1956 A. L. LEE

TIMBER SETTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 22, 19501370622202: drikzzr 1X26. g

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March 13, 1956 A. L. LEE 2,738,081

TIMBER SETTING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1950 Original 5 Sheets-Sheet 2March 13, 1956 LEE TIMBER SETTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 OriginalFiled June 22, 1950 I 72276222022 Zfee A R; E 2 4222/2/3 i [/ZZarzzeg.

United States Patent Consolidation Coal Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Original application June 22, 1950, SerialNo. 169,752.

Divided and this application October 7, 1952, Serial No.

Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to timber setting machinesand.

more particularly to an improved adjustable supporting structure for thetimber-receiving and supporting saddle of such a machine.

In timber setting machines of known types, such as are used inunderground mines or tunnels, the timber-receiving and supporting saddleis usually mounted on an adjustable supporting structure and in suchmachines the desired flexibility and wide range of adjustment of thetimber saddle with respect to the machine base is ofttimes lacking,requiring frequent maneuvering of the machine base to locate the timbersto be set in their proper locations with respect to the roof to besupported. The present invention contemplates improvements over suchknown types of timber setting machines in that the timber settingfunction of previous machines is facilitated and expedited. Inaccordance with the present invention the timberreceiving andsupportingsaddle is adjustable longitudinally along an elongated guide frame whichis in turn adju'stably carried by an adjustable supporting structuremounted on the mobile machine base thereby enabling the timber saddle tobe adjusted through a relatively wide range, both in vertical andhorizontal planes, with respect to the machine base while the latterremains relatively stationary. Further, a plurality of cross timbersmaybe set against the roof without the necessity of maneuvering themachine base due to the provision of such wide range of adjustment ofthe timber saddle. Also the timber saddle may be adjusted not onlylongitudinally relative to the base but also laterally a substantialdistance beyond either side of the base. The improved machine is notonly flexible in adjustment but is also simple and rugged in design,well adapted for its intended purpose. 4

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved timbersetting machine having advantages which are lacking in machines of knowntypes. Another object is to provide an improved timber setting machinehaving an improved supporting and guiding structure for thetimber-receiving and supporting saddle. A further object is to providean improved adjustable supporting and gu1ding structure for thetimber-receiving and supporting saddle whereby the saddle may beadjustedv through a relatively wide range both laterally andlongitudinallyrelative to the machine base. A still further object is toprovide an improved timber setting machine having novel arrangements andcombinations of parts. These and 2,738,081 Patented Mar. 13, 1956porting boom for the timber-receiving saddle in elevated position.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section taken through thesupporting and guide frames for the timber saddle and showing the saddlemounting and adjusting means.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical section takenthrough the sliding guide frame for the saddle mounting and showingdetails of the saddle and its supporting structure.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modified constructionand showing the transposable timber saddle and its supporting boom inelevated position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section illustrating aportion of the saddle mounting and adjusting means of the modifiedembodiment.

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

The improved timber setting machine, as stated above, is especiallydesigned for use in underground mines or tunnels and in its preferredembodiment generally comprises a mobile base or self-propelled carriage1 having a low vertically compact frame z'provided with a flat top deck3 for receiving 'a load of mine timbering elements and the frame ismounted on rubber-tired wheels, the wheels 4 being traction wheels andthe wheels 5 being conventional swiveled steering wheels. Mounted on thebase frame at one end thereof is a swiveled support 6 3 turnable about avertical axis at A in Fig. 1 and on which other objects and advantagesof the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.169,752, filed June 22, 1950.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown for purposes ofillustration two forms which the invention an adjustable supportingstructure, generally designated 7, is pivotally mounted at B on ahorizontal transverse axis to swing in vertical planes relative to thebase and this supporting structure is swingable in horizontal planeswith the swiveled support 6 relative to thebase. This adjustablesupporting structure includes an elongated elevator boom or arm 8extending outwardly from the base and carrying at its outer extremity arotatable support 9 which is turnable at C about the longitudinal axisof the boom frame. Swivelly mounted on the rotatable support 9 is aframe 10 turnable about an axis D disposed at right angles to the swivelaxis C of the rotatable support 9. The. frame 10 hasprojecting yoke arms11 on which an elongated supporting frame 12 is pivoted on a transverseaxis at E herein disposed parallel to a line extending at right anglesto the axes C and D. An extensible hydraulic jack 13 is connectedbetween theswiveled support 6 and the boom frame for swinging the latterabout its pivot and a similar extensible hydraulic jack 14 is connectedbetween the frame 10 and the supporting frame 12 for tilting the latterabout its pivot and fluid may be trapped in these jacks for locking theboom and supporting frame in their adjusted positions.

In this embodiment the supporting frame 12 is provided with longitudinalguiding means for slidingly receiving an elongated guide frame 15 whichin turn provides longitudinal guideways 16 for receiving the lateralguide portions 17 of a sliding cross head or carriage 18. An extensiblefluid jack 19 is mounted on the supporting frame 12 lengthwise of thelatter (Fig. 3) and is connected through suitable pulley and cableconnections 20 to the remote ends of the adjustable guide frame 15 andserves to slide the guide frame longitudinally along its guide meanswith respect to the supporting frame 12, also in a manner fullydisclosed in the copending application mentioned above. Mounted on thesupporting frame 12 is a conventional reversible fluid motor 21 whichdrives through conventional reduction gearing, a chain sprocket chainportions extend in opposite directions around the guide sprockets 2'4and 'pass around guide sprockets '25" and 26 journaled at the oppositeends of the sliding guide frame 15, and the chain portions are attachedat their ends at 27w the carriage 18; Thus by operating the motor 21 thecarriage18 may be moved back'and forth along the'fr'ame guideways. Thespecific structure of the drive between the motor 21 and the chainsprocket 22 is fullyjdisclose'd in the above mentioned'copendingapplication. As disclosed inthe above mentioned copending applicationthe elevator boom 8 'of the timber setting structureis also a drillelevator. boom and has a mining drill associated therewith, and thecarriage .or cross head'18 has an auger drill stee'l'.28 journaledthereon and connected 'foraxial movement therewith. This drill steelcarries a drill bit 28' and a conventionalfltiid' pending portions 34having openings disposable in registry with the lug perforations forreceiving attaching bolts 35 which extend through the. flange openingsand the perforations of the lugs 31 on the cross head for rigidlydetachably securingthe saddleon the cross head. A cross timberdesignated T is adapted to bepl ced'on' the saddle platform 32 and theparallel side flanges 33serve to .holdthe timber against lateraldisplacement from the platform. Transverse guide elements desirably inthe form of rollers 36 supported between the lower portions of the sideflanges (Fig. near the ends of the platform 32 serve to facilitateendwise movement of a timber onto the saddle platform. It will thus beseen that when;

the fluid jack 19 is operated the sliding frame may be movedlongitudinallylwithin its guiding means relative to the supporting frame12, and when, the motor 21is operated movement of ,the saddlewith thecarriage back and forth along the guideway 16 of the sliding frame maybe effected to facilitateposit'ioning of a timber on the. saddle withrespect to the roof without frequent maneuvering of the machinebase.

plication.

When it is desired to set crossbeams or timbers against] the mine ortunnel roof the timberreceiving saddle.

may be attached to the sliding'carriage 18. A load of mine timberingelements such as cross beams. and props, may be transported onthe vtopdeck of the machine base and a cross beam or timber may be placed ontheplat' form. 32 of the saddle 30, in .the manner shown in Figs. 1 and2. When the timber isinitially placed on the sad dle the boom. andguideframe are disposed downwardly in a substantially horizontalfpositionclose to the top of the-,mobile base, and. after thetimber has been.placed on the saddle the fluid .jack. 13-may be operated to swing theboom 8 upwardly and the supporting frame 12 may be-tilted by the fluidjack.14 to raise the cross timber up againstthe. roof and to hold thetimber in place firmly against the roof during setting of the uprightsor props. Themotor 21 may be operated to move the carriage 18longitudinally alongthe'guideways16of the guide frame 15" so thatthetimber may beproperly located with-respect to the roof withoutexcessive maneuveringjof.the

machinebase- Theboommay also.beswunghorizontally' relative to the baseto. increaselh'e lateral positioning range: of the timber saddle. InFigs. 1 and 2 the timber T isshown .onthe saddle inuan'elevatedposition.of "the" 1 boom and supporting frame, with the saddle located at Thecontrolvalve, means for the fluid jack. 19 :andjthe fluid motor .21'and,the fluid supply, and exhaust 'connectionsthere'for are fullydisclosed-inthe above mentionedcopending ap' I the forward end of thesupporting frame. Evidently during upward swinging of the boom thetilting cylinder' 14 may be operated to maintain the guide frame andtimber saddle in a horizontal supporting position.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8the supporting and guiding structure of the machine, which in thepresent instance, is of a relatively compact, tubular, telescopicconstruction; is mounted'on the adjustable supporting structure 7 of thefirst-embodiment, and the machine is generally similar in bothembodiments with the exception of the differences in design'as will nowbe described. The projecting arms 11 of a swiveled yoke frame 10 attheir outer ends pivotally engage at B an outer casing or housing v40 ofcylindrical tubular form and suitably guided for longitudinal adjustmentwithin this tubular housing is an elongated inner guide frame 41likewise of cylindrical tubularform. An extensible fluid jack 42 isconnected-between the:.frame 11 and the housing 40 for tilting the,latter in one direction or the other about the pivot E, and by trappingfluid in the jack the casing 40 maybe rig-. idly held in its adjustedposition. The inner tubular frame 41 has secured thereto at its oppositeextremitiesfronttand rear'head frames 43 and 44. Mounted on a frame 45secured to the rearward portion of theouter casing 40 is a conventionalreversible fluid motor 46 sprocket 47 are guide sprockets 49 and thechain passes around-these guide sprockets and forwardly and rearwardlyaround sprockets 50 and 51, the latter having an ad-.-

justable mouuting52 whereby the chain tension maybe varied.- The-chain48 drives the sprocket 50 and the latter is connected to a chain andsprocket connection 53. A conventional brake device 54, fully disclosedin the abovementioned copending application, serves to hold the-chainandsprocket connection 53 against movementrelative to the tubular guideframe thereby to held the sprocket 50 against rotation and during thisoperation the chain 48-may be driven by the motor 46 to move the tubularinner guide frame 41 longitudinally back and forth along'its guidewaysrelative to the outer casing 40. A conventionalbrake device 55 carriedby the outer casing 40 may engage the inner tubular guide frame v41 tosecure the latter firmly in adjusted position. As in the embodie mentabove-described a mining drill is associated with the timber" settingstructure of this embodiment, and the auger steel is designated 55 andthe steel is similarly rotated by a fluid motor.

The front and rear head frames 43 and 44 of the movable-uinner tub'ularframe 41 have upstanding front and rear perforated'flanges or lugs 56(Figs. 7 and 8) with whose perforations the openings in the dependingportions of the side flanges 33 of the timber saddle 30' are disposablein registry to receive the securing bolts 35. for rigidly attaching thesaddle to either of the head frames. Thus the timber saddle istransposable, and in either of itslocations, maybe adjustedlongitudinally with the inner guide. frame: 41 relative to the outercasing 40 thereby to .facilitatepositioning of a timber with respect tothe mine or tunnel roof. In Fig. 6 a timber T is shown held up againstthe roof by the boom 8 of the machine with the timber supported by thesaddle mounted on the front headxiframe 43. The saddle when mounted inits transposed position on the rear head frame 44 is sh'ow'nindottedslines in Fig. 6. The extended forward position ofthetubular innerframe 41 and the saddle are also indicated in dotted lines in thisfigure. By locating the timber saddle selectively on either head frame43 and 44' byto 'avoid'frequent' maneuvering of the machine base"-during the timber setting operation.

As in the first embodiment of the invention, the boom of the machine maybe swung horizontally relative to the base to increase the lateral rangeof timber setting adjustment of the machine. Since the general mode ofoperation of this modified embodiment of the invention is similar tothat of the first embodiment in that the timber saddle may be widelyadjusted with respect to the machine base to enable a wide variation intimber setting locations in the mine passageway or tunnel, it wouldappear that further discussion of the mode of operation of the modifiedembodiment would be mere repetition. Both em bodiments of the inventionhave similar advantages and while the modified embodiment is relativelymore compact, more simple in design and of lighter weight, it embodiesthe same general operating characteristics as that of the firstembodiment.

As a result of this invention an improved timber setting machine isprovided having an improved adjustable supporting and guiding structurefor the timber saddle whereby adjustment through a relatively widerange, both in vertical and horizontal planes, during timber setting ispossible. The novel guide frame for the timber saddle enables the latterto be adjusted longitudinally relative to the adjustable boom structureof the machine thereby to enable setting of a plurality of timberswithout substantial maneuvering of the machine base. The machine is notonly flexible in adjustment but is also of a rugged and compact design.Other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described two formswhichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthese forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and thatthe invention may be modified and embodied in various other formswithout departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination comprising amobile base, an adjustable supporting structure mounted on said base foradjustment in vertical planes with respect to said base, an elongatedhorizontal guide frame pivotally mounted on said adjustable supportingstructure and adjustable by the latter into different elevatedpositions, said guide frame positionable by said supporting structure toextend longitudinally of said base, a timber-receiving saddle, and asupport for said saddle mounted on said guide frame and operable totraverse the guideways thereof.

2. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination comprising amobile base, an elongated boom, means for swivelly mounting said boom onsaid base to swing in horizontal and vertical planes with respectthereto, an elongated guide frame pivotally mounted on the outer end ofsaid boom and adjustable by the latter into different elevatedpositions, said guide frame positionable by adjustment of said boom andsaid guide frame about their respective pivots to extend longitudinallyof said base at different elevations, a support guided on said frame formovement longitudinally therealong, and a timber-receiving saddlecarried by said support for guided movement therewith to position a roofsupporting timber on the saddle with respect to the roof.

3. In a timber setting machine for moving timbers up against a mine roofand for holding the timber in place during setting of the timber,comprising, in combination, a mobile base, an adjustable supportingstructure carried by said base, a horizontal guide frame pivotally andswivelly mounted on said supporting structure and adjustable therebyinto different elevated positions, a timberreceiving saddle guided formovement longitudinally along said guide frame, and means for movingsaid saddle along said guide frame.

4. In a timber setting machine the combination comprising a mobile base,an adjustable supporting structure swivelly and pivotally mounted onsaid base, an elongated horizontal guide frame swivelly and pivotallymounted on said supporting structure and adjustable thereby intodifferent elevated positions, a timber receiving saddle carried by saidhorizontal guide frame, and means for moving said saddle along saidguide frame.

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein a support is provided for saidsaddle mounted on said guide frame and operable to traverse theguideways thereof.

6. A timber setting machine comprising a mobile base, an elongated boom,means for swivelly mounting said boom on said base to swing inhorizontal and vertical planes with respect thereto, an elongated guideframe pivotally mounted on the outer end of said boom and adjustable bythe latter into different elevated positions, and a timber receivingsaddle guided for movement longitudinally along said guide frame.

7. In a timber setting machine, the combination comprising an adjustablesupporting structure, an elongated supporting frame pivotally andswivelly mounted on said supporting structure and adjustable inhorizontal and vertical planes thereby, an elongated guiding framemounted on said supporting frame to move longitudinally relativethereto, a carriage movable longitudinally along the guideways of saidguiding frame, means for moving said guiding frame longitudinally asaforesaid means for moving said carriage along said guiding frame, and atimber-receiving saddle carried by said carriage.

8. A timber-setting machine comprising a base, a boom pivotally mountedon said base to swing in vertical planes, an elongated guide framepivotally mounted on the outer extremity of said boom, said boom andsaid guide frame being adjustable about their respective pivots tolocate said guide frame in different horizontal positions at differentelevations, a timber-receiving and supporting saddle on which aroof-supporting timber is adapted to be mounted, and means for adjustingsaid saddle into different timber-supporting positions lengthwise ofsaid guide frame including positions at the remote ends of said guideframe.

9. A timber-setting machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein said boomframe is swivelly mounted on said base to swing horizontally relativethereto thereby to locate a timber on said saddle in different lateralpositions with respect to said base.

10. A timber-setting machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein a supportis rotatably mounted on said boom to turn about the longitudinal axis ofsaid boom, and said guide frame is pivotally mounted on said rotatablesupport to tilt about an axis which is arranged at right angles to aplane including the axis of support-rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.22,927 Gay et a1. Oct. 14, 1947 2,395,411 Kittel Feb. 26, 1946 2,523,734Stephenson et al Sept. 26, 1950 2,597,086 Morrow May 20, 1952 2,613,822Stanley Oct. 14, 1952 2,646,968 Curtis July 28, 1953 2,649,979 Ball Aug.25, 1953

